Inventory Allows for More Diverse Combat
Previous Zelda games have given Link a sword for cutting up enemies, and a variety of items earned by completing dungeons that could be used to solve puzzles and open combat possibilities. Breath of the Wild switches things up by not restricting players to a single weapon. They can pick up all kinds of swords, shields, axes, spears, clubs and bows.
Not to mention the many types of food and monster parts that can be cooked into meal and elixirs. The expanded inventory means that every situation requires more planning than any prior Zelda game. Are you in the middle of a lightning storm? Then you can’t just swing metal weapons around or you might get zapped. The world is much more expansive and the inventory system gives players a way to tackle it.
